Just east of the city of Napa, Coombsville is one of Napa’s coolest appellations (second, only, to Carneros). It’s protected by a horseshoe-shaped caldera which extends 2,000 feet towards the eastern Vaca Mountain Range. Here, early morning fog, from the San Pablo Bay, blankets the vineyards, and Cabernet Sauvignon digs its roots underneath the rocky volcanic topsoil, to find moisture within the buried layers of compressed ash. Typically, 10 degrees cooler than Napa’s valley floor, Coombsville has become an attractive terroir for winemakers amid the threats of climate change.

The old Shadybrook Estate doesn’t carry the same Napa caché as a big Oakville or Rutherford name, but the dark deliciousness is in the bottle. Made by veteran winemaker Rudy Zuidema, this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon bottling, aged in 85% new French oak, is a terroir lover’s dream of forest pines, melty licorice, mocha, and violet spice. The fruit leans towards the fresh spectrum (over candied or stewed), like a summer bowl of dark cherries, boysenberries, and blues. Unapologetically Cabernet, unapologetically Coombsville, it doesn’t get much better than the old Shadybrook Estate.  

Happy Sunday,
Allegra A